Direct drive transmissions are commonly used to provide a high efficiency advantage when propelling a machine. When larger direct drive transmissions are used they have to be double clutched to synchronize the speed of the input shaft with the sliding shift collars to permit the transmission to be shifted from one gear to another. The problem with double clutching is that it takes time and is difficult to accomplish in slow moving, high drawbar load machines, such as construction machines, without stopping or have the machine come to a stop with each shift desired.
The present invention is directed to overcome one or more of the problems as set forth above by providing uninterrupted torque to the output shaft during a shift.